A very Merry and dog friendly Christmas menu!

Today, we've launched a new veterinary approved Doggy Christmas Menu in a bid to raise awareness of the dangers some traditional Christmas treats can pose to man’s best friend.

Christmas is always a time of indulgence as we tuck into our mince pies and much favoured Christmas puddings! Sadly, many people also unwittingly over-indulge their dogs with festive treats and human foods (or the pooches are very sneaky and help themselves). Unfortunately, in some cases, this can prove fatal.

Dog poisoning is a serious problem and every Christmas a worrying number of dogs become seriously ill after eating human foods such as chocolate and raisins. Feeding your dog human foods can have dire consequences such as vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy and in some cases chronic breathing difficulties. Other dangerous foods for dogs include dates, grapes, mince pies, Christmas puddings, whole brazil nuts, excessive amounts of cheese, alcohol, onion, raw potato (green), turkey bones and high content cocoa chocolate.

Dogs Trust Veterinary Director, Chris Laurence, suggests:

“As a vet I have seen some terrible examples of dog poisoning over the Christmas period. In many cases the owner was totally unaware of the hidden dangers and was simply intending to be kind to their dog who was eager to share in the festive treats. Like with humans, all foods should be given in moderation. Other festive items to avoid giving your dog include Hollie berries, Mistletoe, xylitol based sweetner and alcohol such as mulled wine.”

However, help is at hand. Dogs Trust has devised a delicious, healthy and safe three-course Doggy Christmas Menu specially designed with dogs in mind. Veterinary approved dishes include Mutt Nog, Cranberry and Turkey Goble Gobble, Pooches Glazed Vegetables and Doggy Mince Pies.

TV actor and presenter, Jeremy Edwards’ much loved dog, Molly, was the first to take part in a canine taste test. Jeremy explains:

“Molly has certainly given her paw of approval to this risk-free Christmas treat. Despite being a fussy eater, she particularly adores the doggy mince pies - she devoured them in 30 seconds flat!”

Anyone wanting to give their canine a special treat this Christmas can download the complete doggy menu amd recipes (opens new browser window).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/balakov/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Watch out! Avoiding pet hazards in the 21st Century

We've all seen pictures of celebrities toting a cute 'Toy' pooch under their arm or in a little rhinestone-studded handbag. It's frustrating to most dog owners because we know that their little legs were designed for walking and that's just what they'll do! But smaller dogs are generally prone to being picked up more often, and just like cats they can catapult themselves out of your arms.

Sugar the Chihuahua (pictured) did just that when she jumped from the arms of her owner's friend - and ended up with a tiny metal plate in her leg. With a broken limb so severe that her owner, Clare Mitchell, feared the dog would lose her leg, Sugar showed amazing resilience under the careful care of a brilliant vet. Her leg saved, she was trotting around just two days after the operation, but "we haven't picked her up since!" adds Clare.

The 21st Century is definitely coming with its own hazards say pet insurers PetPlan. From falling out of handbags to being stepped on by overenthusiastic Nintendo Wii players, modern companion animals are facing dangers previous generations didn't have to worry about. As a result, 21st Century owners are being presented with enormous veterinary bills. Of 3,000 clients polled by PetPlan, over a third had caused accidental damage to their pets with an average cost of £170 to put things right.

Nearly sixty percent of those owners admitted to stepping on their pet (with dogs the most likely victim), with 21% owning up to dropping them (with guinea pigs suffering the most); the next biggest threat was accidental poisoning. Please remember, for example, to keep your chocolate well out of reach of your dog!

PetPlan's Vet of the Year, Brian Faulkner, has this to say:

"Dogs are especially inquisitive and often get under your feet when you are concentrating on something else. Luckily, most of the time they see you before you see them and manage to move out of the way before you step on them but it is not uncommon for vets to have to help them through the odd accidental owner-inflicted scrape and bruise."

In other words: watch where you're going, just in case your dog doesn't!


Disclaimer: Dogs Trust has an arrangement with PetPlan to provide six weeks of free insurance to all new owners of our rescue dogs. You are not obliged to continue with this provider, but we recommend that you consider obtaining pet insurance if you have not already done so.